Method for determining a set of filter coefficients for an acoustic echo compensator

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for beamforming and performing echo compensation for the beamformed signal with an echo canceller including calculating a set of filter coefficients as an estimate for a new steering direction without a complete adaptation of the echo canceller.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/708,172 filed on Feb. 18, 2010, entitled: “Method for Determining aSet of Filter Coefficients for an Acoustic Echo Compensator” and claimsthe benefit of European Patent Application No. 09002542.0 filed on Feb.23, 2009 entitled “Method for determining a set of filter coefficientsfor an acoustic echo compensation means”, which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for determining a set offilter coefficients for an acoustic echo compensator. In particular, theinvention relates to a method for determining a set of filtercoefficients for an acoustic echo compensator in a beamformerarrangement.

BACKGROUND ART

In a beamformer arrangement, acoustic signals are processed in such away, that signals from a preferred direction are enhanced with respectto signals from other directions. This characteristic is in particularuseful for speech signal processing, for example, for hands-freetelephone sets or speech recognition systems in vehicles.

For such systems, echo compensation is a basic issue. Disturbing echoesmay result from signals which are, for example, output by a loudspeakerof the same system and detected together with the wanted signal bymicrophones of a microphone array in the beamformer arrangement. In thecase of a hands-free telephone set, for instance, signals from a far endare output by a loudspeaker at the near end where they are againdetected by the microphones. In order to avoid that these signals aretransmitted back to the far end, echo compensation or echo cancellationhas to be performed.

Several methods and systems for echo compensation are known (see, e.g.Acoustic Echo and Noise Control, E. Hañsler and G. Schmidt, John Wiley &Sons, New York, 2004).

One known method uses a separate acoustic echo compensator, for examplean acoustic echo canceller, for each microphone signal. This methodyields a very robust echo compensation but is computationally intensive.In particular, the computational costs increase with the number ofmicrophones in a microphone array.

Alternatively, according to another method, only one acoustic echocompensator, for example an acoustic echo canceller, is used whichoperates after a beamformer, i.e. which operates on a beamformed signal.This method is computationally efficient as it requires only oneacoustic echo compensator independent of the number of microphones inthe microphone array.

However, when using only one acoustic echo compensator operating on thebeamformed signal, residual echo components in the echo compensatedsignal can be observed when the beamformer changes from one steeringdirection to another. For example, in a vehicle, the beamformer mayprovide a steering direction corresponding to the position of a firstspeaker. If an utterance from a second speaker, at a different position,should be processed, the beamformer needs to provide a second steeringdirection according to the position of the second speaker.

After the change-over from the first steering direction to the secondsteering direction, the signal quality of the echo compensatedbeamformed signal can be impaired by the presence of a residual echosignal until the acoustic echo compensator have re-adapted for thesecond steering direction. This, however, may take some time.

FIG. 9 depicts a prior art system comprising a beamformer and aplurality of acoustic echo cancellers.

In particular, a microphone array comprising a plurality of microphones901 is shown. A microphone 901 may detect signals from a loudspeaker 902and/or from wanted sound sources, in particular, speakers 903. Asteering direction 904 of the beamformer arrangement may be providedcorresponding to the direction of arrival of a signal originating fromone of the speakers 903. Speaker localization module 905 allow todetermine the position of the speaker 903 and/or the direction ofarrival of a wanted signal originating from the speaker 903. Abeamformer 906 may be used to perform time delay compensation of themicrophone signals. The beamformer may further process the time delaycompensated microphone signals yielding a beamformed signal.

Before beamforming, acoustic echo cancellers 941 are used to performecho compensation of each microphone signal individually. The beamformedand echo compensated signal may be provided to a hands-free system 910.

If echo compensation is performed before beamforming, for eachmicrophone signal a separate acoustic echo canceller 941 needs to beused. Such a system, as for example shown in FIG. 9, has the advantagethat if the beamformer 906 changes from one steering direction 904 toanother, the acoustic echo cancellers 941 do not need to be re-adapted.In other words, the beamformer 906 uses echo compensated microphonesignals. Therefore, a change from one steering direction 904 of thebeamformer 906 to another has no influence on echo compensation.

A drawback of such a system as shown in FIG. 9, is, however, that usingan individual acoustic echo canceller 941 for each microphone signal iscomputationally intensive, wherein the computational costs increase withthe number of microphones 901 in the microphone array.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a method for determining a set offilter coefficients for an acoustic echo compensator in a beamformerarrangement, wherein the beamformer arrangement comprises a microphonearray, comprising at least two microphones, a beamformer yielding abeamformed signal based on microphone signals from each of the at leasttwo microphones and an acoustic echo compensator operating on thebeamformed signal for echo compensation of the beamformed signal,comprises:

providing a plurality of sets of filter coefficients for the acousticecho compensator, each set of filter coefficients corresponding to oneof a predetermined number of steering directions of the beamformerarrangement, wherein the predetermined number of steering directions isequal to or greater than the number of microphones in the microphonearray, and

for a current steering direction, determining a current set of filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo compensator based on the providedsets of filter coefficients.

As for a current or arbitrary steering direction, a set of filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo compensator can be determined orcalculated based on the provided sets of filter coefficients, the methodallows to improve the signal quality after a change-over to the currentsteering direction as compared to the prior art. A time intensivere-adaptation of the acoustic echo compensator for the current steeringdirection may become unnecessary.

A beamformer may combine microphone signals from each of the at leasttwo microphones in such a way that signals from a preferred direction orsteering direction are enhanced while signals from other directions aresuppressed.

The signal processing performed by the beamformer may be a summation offiltered input signals, wherein the filtered input signals may comprise,for example, time delay compensated microphone signals. The coefficientsof the filtering module, in particular the value of each coefficient,may be variable.

The microphone signals may be signals output by microphones of themicrophone array.

The beamformer arrangement may comprise a localization module. Theposition of a wanted sound source and/or the direction of arrival ofsignals originating from a wanted sound source may be estimated, inparticular using the localization module. The beamformer may provide asteering direction based on the estimated position and/or direction ofarrival. Determining the position and/or direction of arrival may beperformed using the microphone array. In particular, the localizationmay be performed based on microphone signals of two or more microphonesof the microphone array.

The beamformer arrangement may comprise time delay compensator. Adirectional characteristic or steering direction of the beamformerarrangement may be formed by summation of time delay compensatedmicrophone signals. The time delay compensator may be used to determineand/or compensate for time delays of the microphone signals. Inparticular, the time delay compensation may be performed for eachmicrophone signal of the microphone array to compensate for relativetime delays between the microphone signals.

The time delays may be due to signal propagation delays, in particularcorresponding to a given or desired direction of arrival or a relativepositioning of a wanted sound source with respect to the at least twomicrophones of the microphone array, for example with respect to thecentroid or centre of gravity of the positions of the microphones.

Time delay compensation of the microphone signals may be performed usingthe beamformer. The time delay compensated microphone signals may besummed using the beamformer. Thereby a steering direction of thebeamformer arrangement, in particular of the beamformer, may beprovided. In other words, the beamformer may provide a steeringdirection by summing time delay compensated microphone signals, whereinthe time delays of the microphone signals may be determined based on theposition or direction of the wanted sound source.

The beamformer arrangement may be connected with a loudspeaker, inparticular with a loudspeaker signal path, in particular with the inputsignal path of the loudspeaker. The acoustic echo compensator may beprovided with an input signal for the loudspeaker, i.e. a loudspeakersignal. An echo signal may correspond to the loudspeaker signal. Inparticular, the echo signal may be output by the loudspeaker. The echosignal may correspond, for example, to output of a hands-free system.

The acoustic echo compensator may use the loudspeaker signal asreference signal to model an echo signal component in the beamformedsignal.

In particular, the acoustic echo compensator may be used to estimate thesignal components of the beamformed signal which correspond to an echosignal. In other words, the acoustic echo compensator may be used tomodel a serial connection of a loudspeaker-room-microphone system and abeamformer, in particular by means of a transfer function. A transferfunction may model the relation between the input and the output signalsof a system. In particular, a transfer function applied to an inputsignal may yield the output signal of the system. Transfer functions ofthe loudspeaker-room-microphone system may represent the relationbetween a loudspeaker signal, output by the loudspeaker and received bythe microphones via the room, and the microphone signals, output by eachof the microphones.

A transfer function of the serial connection of theloudspeaker-room-microphone system and the beamformer, orloudspeaker-room-microphone-beamformer system, may represent therelation between a loudspeaker signal, output by the loudspeaker,received by the microphones via the room and processed by thebeamformer, and the beamformed signal.

The echo signal components may be subtracted from the beamformed signalto yield an echo compensated beamformed signal.

The acoustic echo compensator may comprise an echo compensation filteror an acoustic echo canceller. The acoustic echo compensator may be anacoustic echo canceller.

The acoustic echo compensator may comprise an, in particular adaptive,FIR filter.

The number of filter coefficients in each set of filter coefficients forthe acoustic echo compensator may depend on the order of the FIR filterused, i.e. the number of filter coefficients used for the FIR filter. AnN^(th) order FIR filter may use (N+1) filter coefficients. Therefore,the number of filter coefficients in each or in an arbitrarily chosenset of filter coefficients may take any finite value larger than orequal to one.

A set of filter coefficients may correspond to a steering direction. Inparticular, a provided set of filter coefficients may correspond to oneof the predetermined number of steering direction. A current set offilter coefficients may correspond to a current steering direction.

The number of filter coefficients in each provided set of filtercoefficients may equal the number of filter coefficients in the currentset of filter coefficients to be determined.

The number of provided sets of filter coefficients may be equal to orgreater than the number of microphones in the microphone array. Inparticular, the number of provided sets of filter coefficients may beequal to the predetermined number of steering directions.

The current steering direction may be an arbitrary steering direction.

A steering direction or preferred direction of the beamformerarrangement, in particular of the beamformer, may correspond to thedirection of a major lobe of a directional characteristic of thebeamformer arrangement, in particular of the beamformer. The major lobeof a directional characteristic may be aligned with a direction ofarrival of a signal originating from a wanted sound source. Inparticular, a directional characteristic of the beamformer may have onlyone major lobe. The predetermined number of steering directions maycorrespond to a predetermined number of directional characteristics.

A current steering direction may correspond to the direction in which awanted sound source is located or to the direction of arrival of awanted sound signal, in particular one emitted from the wanted soundsource.

The direction of arrival may change with time, for example, if thewanted sound source moves or if signals originating from a second wantedsound source should be detected. The beamformer may provide differentsteering directions, in particular in response to a change of thedirection of arrival, thus resulting in a plurality of steeringdirections.

A steering direction may be specified by one, two or three parameters orcoordinates. The one, two or three parameters or coordinates maycomprise an angle with respect to a predetermined axis. Thepredetermined axis may be a direct access of a linear microphone array,wherein the microphones of the linear microphone array are arrangedalong the direct axis.

A predetermined steering direction may correspond to one of thepredetermined number of steering directions. The current steeringdirection or arbitrary steering direction may be, in particular,different from each of the predetermined steering directions.

A steering direction of the beamformer may correspond to a direction, inparticular with respect to the beamformer arrangement, wherein signalsoriginating from that direction are enhanced with respect to signalsfrom other directions. This directional pattern may be formed bysummation of time delay compensated microphone signals using thebeamformer.

A steering direction may correspond to a set of time delays comprising atime delay for each microphone signal of the microphone array. Timedelays may be calculated from a steering direction and/or vice versa. Inparticular, the predetermined number of steering directions maycorrespond to a predetermined number of sets of time delays.

A steering direction may be provided, adjusted or changed to anothersteering direction by providing, adjusting or changing time delayparameters of the time delay compensator, in particular of thebeamformer. A time delay parameter may correspond to the time delay of amicrophone signal.

The time delays or time delay parameters may be determined based on theposition of a wanted sound source and/or the direction of arrival of asignal originating from the wanted sound source. The time delay and/ortime delay parameter may be determined for each microphone signal of themicrophone array.

The time delay may be a relative time delay, in particular, with respectto an arbitrarily chosen or predetermined microphone signal.

In the frequency domain, the relative time delay may correspond to arelative phase shift.

The step of determining a current set of filter coefficients may befollowed by initializing the acoustic echo compensator using thedetermined current set of filter coefficients. In particular, the filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo compensator may be set to thedetermined values of the determined current set of filter coefficients.

Determining a current set of filter coefficients may be based on acombination of provided sets of filter coefficients. In particular,current filter coefficients for the current set of filter coefficientsmay be determined, calculated or computed based on a combination offilter coefficients of the provided sets of filter coefficients, inparticular corresponding to different predetermined steering directions.

The step of determining a current set of filter coefficients may bepreceded by determining, for each microphone signal, a current timedelay corresponding to the current steering direction, and determining acurrent set of filter coefficients may be further based on the currenttime delays. In other words, for the current steering direction,determining a current set of filter coefficients may be based on theprovided sets of filter coefficients and on the current time delays.

Determining a current set of filter coefficients may further comprise,for each filter coefficient of the current set of filter coefficients,computing a sum, wherein each summand comprises a modified transferfunction corresponding to a combination of (a) filter coefficients ofthe beamformer and (b) transfer functions, in particular transferfunctions of a loudspeaker-room-microphone system. In other words, thetransfer functions may be transfer functions between a loudspeakersignal, emitted by a loudspeaker, and each microphone signal of themicrophone array.

The modified transfer functions may correspond to beamformercoefficients in combination with transfer functions of theloudspeaker-room-microphone system. One modified transfer function maycorrespond to each microphone signal and each filter order of theacoustic echo compensator.

Each summand may correspond to a particular microphone signal.

Each summand of the sum may further comprise a time delay function,wherein the time delay function is a function of the time delay of themicrophone signal. In particular, the time delay functions may beexponential functions of a time delay, in particular of a relative timedelay. The exponential functions may further comprise a sound frequency.In particular, the sound frequency may be the central frequency of anarbitrary or predetermined frequency band.

Each summand, may, in particular, be a product of a function dependingon a steering direction, in particular on a time delay function, and amodified transfer function. In particular, the modified transferfunctions may be independent of the current steering direction.

In this way, the functional dependence of the filter coefficients forthe echo compensator on the current steering direction, in particular onthe current time delay, can be incorporated in a separate term.

Determining a current set of filter coefficients may comprisedetermining modified transfer functions, in particular, a modifiedtransfer function for each summand.

Determining a current set of filter coefficients, in particulardetermining the modified transfer function of each summand, may be basedon predetermined time delays corresponding to predetermined steeringdirections. In particular, determining the modified transfer functionsmay be based on the provided sets of filter coefficients and thepredetermined time delays.

Determining the modified transfer functions may comprise solving alinear system of equations. The system of equations may contain termsonly depending on provided filter coefficients of the provided sets offilter coefficients and the predetermined time delays.

Solutions to the system of equations may yield a modified transferfunction for each summand, i.e. for each microphone signal, inparticular given an arbitrary filter order.

In particular, computing the sum may comprise determining the modifiedtransfer functions based on combinations of provided filter coefficientsfrom the provided sets of filter coefficients, in particularcorresponding to different steering directions.

In particular, determining modified transfer functions may comprisesetting up a system of equations, wherein each provided filtercoefficient of the provided sets of filter coefficients may be writtenas a sum, wherein, in particular, each summand may be a product of amodified transfer function and a time delay function of a predeterminedtime delay. The predetermined time delay may correspond to thepredetermined steering direction corresponding to the provided set offilter coefficients.

Determining modified transfer functions may comprise solving the systemof equations, in particular for a given filter order and a givenmicrophone signal. Solving the system of equations may be performed forall wanted or desired filter orders and all microphone signals.

In particular, from the provided sets of filter coefficients, filtercoefficients corresponding to different predetermined steeringdirections but corresponding to the same filter order may form a filtercoefficients vector. The modified transfer functions corresponding to agiven filter order may form a transfer vector.

Solving the system of equations may comprise inverting a matrix. Inparticular, the matrix and the inverted matrix may contain coefficientsonly depending on the predetermined time delays.

The system of equations may be written as a matrix multiplication. Thefilter coefficients vector may be a product of a matrix and the transfervector. The matrix may contain coefficients only depending on thepredetermined time delays.

The transfer vector, in particular the modified transfer functions, maybe calculated by inverting the matrix. This can happen numerically in acomputationally efficient way.

The providing step may comprise for each of the predetermined number ofsteering directions providing a predetermined time delay for eachmicrophone signal corresponding to a predetermined steering direction.In this way, for each of the predetermined number of steeringdirections, a set of filter coefficients for the echo compensator and atime delay for each microphone signal may be provided.

The predetermined time delays may correspond to predetermined relativetime delays.

The providing step may comprise for each of the predetermined number ofsteering directions, determining a time delay for each microphone signalcorresponding to the predetermined steering direction, and storing thetime delay for each microphone signal, thus, resulting in predeterminedtime delays.

The providing step may comprise for each of the predetermined number ofsteering directions, adapting the acoustic echo compensator for thepredetermined steering direction, and storing a set of filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo compensator corresponding to thepredetermined steering direction, thus, resulting in provided sets offilter coefficients.

The provided sets of filter coefficients, the predetermined steeringdirections and/or the predetermined time delays may be determined usingthe beamformer arrangement. In particular, the provided sets of filtercoefficients, predetermined steering directions and/or the predeterminedtime delays may be determined in an initializing phase or initializationperiod. In particular, during the initializing phase, the provided setsof filter coefficients and/or the predetermined relative time delays maybe determined for a predetermined number of steering directions, whereinthe predetermined number of steering directions may be at least equal tothe number of microphones in the microphone array.

The step of adapting the acoustic echo compensator may be performed suchthat the quality of echo compensation exceeds a predetermined threshold.In this way, it can be assured that the provided set of filtercoefficients yield an optimal echo compensation for the correspondingpredetermined steering direction.

The initializing phase may be ended when the number of differentsteering directions for which sets of filter coefficients have beendetermined equals the number of microphones in the microphone array. Theinitializing phase, in particular the steps of the initializing phase,may be performed repeatedly, in particular at different times.

Determining the current set of filter coefficients may be performedafter the initializing phase or after the number of different steeringdirections for which sets of filter coefficients are provided equals thenumber of microphones in the microphone array.

The step of determining a current set of filter coefficients may bepreceded by determining whether the current steering direction deviatesor differs from a preset steering direction, and if the current steeringdirection deviates or differs from the preset steering direction,determining the current set of filter coefficients. In particular,determining the current set of filter coefficients may be performed onlyif the current steering direction deviates or differs from the presetsteering direction. In this way, after a change from one steeringdirection to another, the filter coefficients for the acoustic echocompensator can be set such that residual echo after the change will bereduced or even completely cancelled, in particular in a shorter time ascompared to the prior art.

Determining a current set of filter coefficient for the acoustic echocompensator may be performed in the frequency domain or in the timedomain.

Relative time delays in the time domain may correspond to relative phaseshifts in the frequency domain. A transfer function in frequency domainmay correspond to an impulse response in time domain.

Determining a current set of filter coefficient of the acoustic echocompensator may be performed in the frequency domain further comprisingsub-band coding. In this way, steps of the methods may be performedindependently for each frequency band. In particular, in each frequencyband undersampling may be performed. In this way, the computing time canbe reduced.

The provided sets of filter coefficients for the acoustic echocompensator may be updated using a second beamformer and a secondacoustic echo compensator.

The transfer functions may be variable, as a loudspeaker-room-microphonesystem may be time variant, for example, due to a moving person in theroom. The provided sets of filter coefficients may correspond totransfer functions of the loudspeaker-room-microphone-beamformer system.Hence, in order to account for changes in theloudspeaker-room-microphone system, the provided sets of filtercoefficients may be updated repeatedly.

A second beamformer may be used to provide a directional characteristicor steering direction which corresponds to one of the predeterminedsteering directions corresponding to a provided set of filtercoefficients. The second acoustic echo compensator may adapt for thepredetermined steering direction, thereby obtaining a new set of filtercoefficients. The adaptation may be performed such that the quality ofecho compensation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

In particular, updating a provided set of filter coefficients maycomprise the steps of setting the time delay parameters of the secondbeamformer according to a predetermined steering direction correspondingto one of the provided sets of filter coefficients, adapting the secondacoustic echo compensator for the predetermined steering direction,yielding a new set of filter coefficients, and replacing the providedset of filter coefficients with the new set of filter coefficients. Inparticular, replacing the provided set of filter coefficients with thenew set of filter coefficients may be performed only if the quality ofecho compensation exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The step of updating a provided set of filter coefficients may beperformed for all provided sets of filter coefficients, in particularsubsequently and repeatedly.

The step of determining a current set of filter coefficients may befollowed by storing the determined current set of filter coefficientsand/or the current steering direction. Thereby a provided set of filtercoefficients and a predetermined steering direction may be obtained. Inthis way, the predetermined number of steering directions may beincreased. If determining modified transfer functions comprises solvinga linear system of equations, the system of equations may be enlarged inthis way. In particular, the current time delay for each microphonesystem corresponding to the current steering direction may be storedthereby obtaining predetermined time delays.

The above-described methods may further comprise determining the qualityof echo compensation corresponding to a set of filter coefficients andthe corresponding steering direction, according to a predeterminedcriterion.

In particular, the methods may comprise searching among the providedsets of filter coefficients, a particular sot of filter coefficients,wherein the quality of echo compensation using the current set of filtercoefficients exceeds the quality of echo compensation using theparticular set of filter coefficients and wherein a set of steeringdirections comprising the current steering direction and allpredetermined steering directions other than the predetermined steeringdirection corresponding to the particular set of filter coefficients,contains a predetermined number of steering directions which is at leastequal to the number of microphones in the microphone array and if such aparticular set of filter coefficients is found, replacing the particularset of filter coefficients and the corresponding predetermined steeringdirection with the determined current set of filter coefficients and thecorresponding current steering direction.

In this way, the provided sets of filter coefficients can be updated. Inparticular, the provided sets of filter coefficients which yield a lowquality of echo compensation may be subsequently replaced by sets offilter coefficients yielding a better quality of echo compensation.

The quality of echo compensation using the particular set of filtercoefficients may be worse than the quality of echo compensation usingany other provided set of filter coefficients. In this way, the providedset of filter coefficients which yields the lowest quality of echocompensation may be replaced.

In particular, the predetermined time delays corresponding to the set offilter coefficients which yields the lowest quality of echo compensationmay be replaced with the current time delays.

Searching the particular set of filter coefficients may comprisecomparing parameters indicating the quality of echo compensation. Aparameter indicating the quality of echo compensation may be determinedfor the current set of filter coefficients and for the provided sets offilter coefficients. For each provided set of filter coefficients, aparameter indicating the quality of echo compensation may be stored. Inparticular, the providing step may further comprise for each of thepredetermined number of steering directions providing a parameterindicating the quality of echo compensation using the set of filtercoefficients corresponding to the predetermined steering direction.

The method may further comprise storing a time indicating when aprovided set of filter coefficients corresponding to a predeterminedsteering direction was determined. In particular, the providing step mayfurther comprise for each of the predetermined number of steeringdirections providing a time stamp or time parameter indicating when orfor what time the corresponding provided set of filter coefficients wasdetermined.

The determined current set of filter coefficients may replace an olderprovided set of filter coefficients. In particular, the determinedcurrent set of filter coefficients may replace the oldest provided setof filter coefficients.

In this way, the oldest provided set of filter coefficients may besubsequently replaced with a newer one.

The method may further comprise determining or estimating a position ofa wanted sound source and/or a direction of arrival of a signaloriginating from the wanted sound source.

In particular, the method may comprise providing a steering direction ofthe beamformer corresponding to the determined position and/or directionof arrival. In particular, the major lobe of a directionalcharacteristic may be aligned with the determined position and/ordirection of arrival.

The step of providing a steering direction may comprise time delaycompensation for each microphone signal of the microphone array with atime delay determined based on the determined or estimated positionand/or direction of arrival. The time delays may change with time. Timedelay compensation using time dependent or time variable time delays isusually called “adaptive time delay compensation”.

The determined current set of filter coefficients may be furthermodified using the acoustic echo compensator, in particular usingadaptive filtering module of the acoustic echo compensator. In this way,echo compensation after a change from one steering direction to anothercan be further optimised. The step of modifying the determined set offilter coefficients may be followed by storing the modified current setof filter coefficients and/or the current steering direction. Inparticular, updating or replacing provided sets of filter coefficientsmay be done using modified current sets of filter coefficients.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer programmeproduct, comprising one or more computer readable media, having computerexecutable instructions for performing the steps of one of the abovedescribed methods when run on a computer.

The invention further provides an apparatus for determining a set offilter coefficients for an acoustic echo compensator in a beamformerarrangement, wherein the beamformer arrangement comprises a microphonearray comprising at least two microphones, a beamformer yielding abeamformed signal based on microphone signals from each of the at leasttwo microphones and an acoustic echo compensator operating on thebeamformed signal for echo compensation of the beamformed signal, theapparatus comprising filter coefficients determining module configuredto perform one of the above described methods.

The invention further provides a hands-free system comprising anapparatus as described above. In particular, the hands-free system maybe a hands-free telephone set or a hands-free speech control set, inparticular for use in a vehicle.

The invention further provides a system comprising a microphone arraycomprising at least two microphones, a beamformer, an acoustic echocompensator and an above-described apparatus.

The system may further comprise a memory and and/or a localizationmodule for determining a position of a wanted sound source and/or adirection of arrival of a signal originating from the wanted soundsource.

The wanted sound source may be a speaker, and/or the microphone signalmay comprise a speech signal.

The system may further comprise a predetermination module, configured tostore for each of a predetermined number of steering directions, a timedelay for each microphone signal. The predetermination module may beconfigured to store for each of a predetermined number of steeringdirections a set of filter coefficients for the acoustic echocompensator. In this way, the predetermination module may be used toprovide sets of filter coefficients and predetermined time delays foreach of a predetermined number of steering directions.

The predetermination module may be used, in particular, during aninitializing phase.

The system may further comprise a second beamformer and a secondacoustic echo compensator, if provided sets of filter coefficients areupdated using a second beamformer and a second acoustic echocompensator.

The system may further comprise module for determining a time delay fortime delay compensation of one or more microphone signals.

The system may further comprise module for time delay compensation ofone or more microphone signals based on the determined time delays. Thesystem may comprise a loudspeaker.

The above-described systems may be used in a vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understoodby reference to the following detailed description, taken with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a system comprising a beamformer arrangement comprising amicrophone array, a beamformer and an acoustic echo canceller;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment comprising a broadside beamformer andfiltering module;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a loudspeaker-room-microphone system, abeamformer and an acoustic echo canceller;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a beamformer arrangement comprising apredetermination module and a storage device;

FIG. 5 shows selected steps of an initializing phase;

FIG. 6 shows selected steps of determining a set of filter coefficientsfor an acoustic echo canceller,

FIG. 7 shows selected steps of replacing a provided set of filtercoefficients with a determined set of filter coefficients;

FIG. 8 shows an example of a beamformer arrangement comprising anacoustic echo canceller operating on a beamformed signal; and

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a beamformer arrangement comprising aplurality of acoustic echo cancellers, each operating on a microphonesignal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The system shown in FIG. 8 comprises a beamformer arrangement comprisinga beamformer 806, localization module 805, a microphone array comprisinga number of microphones 801 and an acoustic echo canceller 807.Furthermore a hands-free system 810, speaker 803, a loudspeaker 802 andtwo different steering directions 804 of the beamformer arrangement areshown.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, only one acoustic echo canceller 807is used that operates on a beamformed signal. Hence, a beamformer 806yields a beamformed signal based on the microphone signals and theacoustic echo canceller 807 is used to model theloudspeaker-room-microphone-beamformer system.

The advantage of such a system, as shown in FIG. 8, is that only oneacoustic echo canceller 807 is used which is computationally moreefficient than performing echo compensation for each microphone signalindependently. However, if the beamformer changes from one steeringdirection 804 to another, new steering direction, the acoustic echocanceller 807 has to be re-adapted. In other words, each time thecoefficients of the beamformer filter change, the filter coefficients ofthe acoustic echo canceller 807 have to be re-adjusted. Until thecoefficients of the acoustic echo canceller 807 have converged to a newoptimal solution corresponding to the new steering direction, the signalquality of the beamformed and echo compensated signal may be impaired.

In FIG. 1, a system comprising a beamformer arrangement is shown. Thesystem comprises a microphone array with microphones 101. Themicrophones may detect signals from a loudspeaker 102 and/or from wantedsound sources, in particular, speakers 103. The beamformer may provideone of the steering directions 104 corresponding to the direction ofarrival of a signal originating from a wanted sound source and/or to aposition of the wanted sound source. A speaker localization module 105is used to determine the position and/or the direction of arrival, inparticular the position or direction of a speaker 103. As used in thisspecification and in the claims, the term module may refer to circuitry,such as an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), computerlogic, such as computer program code, or a combination of the two, suchas, a computer system having a processor that is made operational withthe use of computer code. A beamformer 106 may determine a relative timedelay for each microphone signal based on the relative positioning ofthe speaker 103 with respect to the microphones 101. The beamformer 106may further add the time delay compensated microphone signals yielding abeamformed signal and an acoustic echo canceller 107 may operate on thebeamformed signal for compensation or cancellation of echo components inthe beamformed signal.

The filter coefficients for the acoustic echo canceller 107 may bedetermined by filter coefficients determining module 108 wherein a setof filter coefficients is determined based on provided sets of filtercoefficients. The provided sets of filter coefficients may be stored ina storage device 109. The beamformed and echo compensated signals may beused by a hands-free system 110. The hands-free system 110 may be, forexample, a hands-free telephone set or a hands-free speech controlsystem, in particular operated in an automobile.

In FIG. 2, a system comprising a beamformer arrangement is shown whichcomprises filtering module 212 and synthesis module 213 to performsub-band coding. A broadside beamformer 211 is used to output abeamformed signal based on the microphone signals. Alternatively anend-fire beamformer may be used.

Microphones 201 detect acoustic signals yielding microphone signalsy_(m)(n). The reference signal of a loudspeaker 202 may be denoted byx(n). The microphone signals and the loudspeaker signal may be sub-bandcoded by filtering module 212 yielding frequency band componentsY_(m)(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n) and X(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n). Due to the reducedbandwidth of each frequency band, undersampling of the signals may bepossible. The parameter n denotes the time. In particular, n may denotea point in time, corresponding to the time when the acoustic signal wasdetected or emitted. Ω_(μ) denotes a frequency of the frequency band, inparticular the central frequency.

Providing a steering direction, i.e. aligning the direction of the majorlobe of the directional characteristic of the beamformer, may compriseapplying complex factors, in particular with an absolute value equal to1, to the microphone signals. These factors, when multiplied with themicrophone signals, may, in particular only, modify the phase of themicrophone signal in the respective frequency band. A subsequentcombination of the time delay compensated microphone signals may beperformed by a broadside beamformer 211. The beamformed signal {tildeover (D)} in a frequency band may read:

D ~ ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n ) = ∑ m = 1 M ⁢ ∑ i ⁢ Y m ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n - i ) ⁢ ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢Ω μ ⁢ φ m ⁡ ( n - i ) ⁢ G m , i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ) .

Here, the second summation corresponds to a convolution. For FIRfilters, the sum may run from i=0 to the filter order minus 1.Furthermore, the parameter M denotes the number of microphones 201 inthe microphone array, φ_(m)(n) denotes the relative time delay formicrophone signal m which is a function of time n. G_(m,i)(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) )denote the filter coefficients of the beamformer. The filtercoefficients G_(m,i) may be assumed to be independent of time.

A schematic view of the system depicted in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3.The filter coefficients for the acoustic echo canceller 307 are denotedby Ĥ_(i), while the transfer functions of theloudspeaker-room-microphone system 314 are denoted by H_(1,i) andH_(2,i). The schematic view shown in FIG. 3 assumes two microphones inthe microphone array and that no noise and no wanted signals arepresent. In this case, the beamformed signal comprises only an echosignal component D(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n). The beamformer 306 may perform timedelay compensation by multiplying with the complex factors exp(jΩ_(μ)φ₁)and exp(jΩ_(μ)φ₂). The filter coefficients of the beamformer 306 aredenoted by G_(1,i) and G_(2,i), respectively. The estimated echo signalcomponent in the frequency band is denoted by {circumflex over (D)}.Assuming a perfect adaptation of the acoustic echo canceller 307, theerror signal E will be zero, i.e.E(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n)=0=D(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n)−{circumflex over (D)}(e ^(jΩ)^(μ) ,n).

The estimated echo signal, {circumflex over (D)}, may be determined byconvolution of the loudspeaker signal or reference signal with theimpulse response of the acoustic echo canceller 307, i.e.

${{\hat{D}\left( {{\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}},n} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{i}{{X\left( {{\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}},{n - i}} \right)}{{{\hat{H}}_{i}\left( {{\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}},n} \right)}.}}}}\mspace{20mu}$

To determine the echo signal component in the beamformed signal, i.e.after the beamformer, coefficients of the convolution of the referencesignal with the loudspeaker-room-microphone system and the beamformercan be combined to modified transfer functions. In particular, for eachmicrophone signal, k, and each filter order, i, a modified transferfunction F_(k,i) may be defined as:

${{F_{k,i}\left( {\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{i}{{H_{k,l}\left( {\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}} \right)}{{G_{k,{i - l}}\left( {\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}} \right)}.}}}}\mspace{20mu}$

Assuming an arbitrary steering direction, i.e. constant, time invariantrelative time delays (φ_(m)(n)=φ_(m)), and no noise and no wantedsignal, an echo signal of the frequency band may be determined asfollows:

D ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n ) = ∑ i ⁢ X ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n - i ) [ ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 1 ⁢ F 1 ,l ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ) + ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ⁢ φ 2 ⁢ F 2 , l ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ) ] .

Therefore, the optimal choice for the filter coefficients for theacoustic echo canceller may be written as:Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,φ₁,φ₂)=e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ¹ F _(1,i)(e ^(jΩ)^(μ) )+e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ² F _(2,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ).

Here i denotes the filter order. In other words, each filter coefficientof a set of filter coefficients corresponding to a steering directionmay be written as sum, wherein each summand is a product between a timedelay function, i.e. exp(jΩ_(μ)φ_(m)), and a modified transfer function,i.e. F_(m,i), wherein m denotes the respective microphone signal.

The relative time delays may be determined based on the position of thewanted sound source and/or the direction of arrival of a signaloriginating from the wanted sound source. Hence, the complex factorsexp(jΩ_(μ)φ₁) and exp(jΩ_(μ)φ₂) are known or may be calculated, whilethe modified transfer functions, in particular F_(1,i) and F_(2,i), areinitially unknown. Once the modified transfer functions are determined,a set of filter coefficients for an acoustic echo canceller may bedetermined for a current or arbitrary steering direction using theabove-described equation for the filter coefficients of the acousticecho canceller.

The modified transfer functions may be calculated based on the providedsets of filter coefficients. The determination of the current set offilter coefficients may be performed by filter coefficients determiningmodule 108 shown in FIG. 1.

The provided sets of filter coefficients may correspond to apredetermined number of steering directions, wherein the predeterminednumber of steering directions is at least equal to the number ofmicrophones in the microphone array. The provided sets of filtercoefficients may be determined during an initializing phase.

In FIG. 4, a beamformer arrangement is shown wherein predeterminationmodule 415 may be used during an initializing phase to determine sets offilter coefficients corresponding to different steering directions andto store the sets of filter coefficients and steering directions instorage device 409. In this way, the provided sets of filtercoefficients may be obtained. The time delays for the microphone signalscorresponding to the different steering directions may also bedetermined and/or stored by predetermination module 415, therebyobtaining predetermined time delays. Furthermore, a beamformer 406,speaker localization module 405, a loudspeaker 402, microphones 401,speaker 403, an acoustic echo canceller 407, different steeringdirections 404 of the beamformer 406 and a hands-free system 410 areshown.

Selected steps of the initializing phase are shown in FIG. 5. Afterinitializing the beamformer arrangement at step 520, the number ofmicrophones, n, in the microphone array is determined and acounter-parameter, c, is set to zero, i.e. c=0. At step 522 it isdetermined whether the beamformer changed from one steering direction toa new steering direction, i.e. whether the provided steering directiondeviates from a preset steering direction or whether the providedsteering direction is the first steering direction to be set. If theprovided steering direction is a new steering direction, a beamformermay be used to determine the time delays of the microphone signals, inparticular the relative time delays with respect to an arbitraryreference microphone signal, corresponding to the provided steeringdirection and to output a beamformed signal.

At step 524, the filter coefficients for the acoustic echo canceller areadapted, in particular, the adaptation step is performed such that thequality of echo compensation according to a predetermined criterionexceeds a predetermined threshold (for determining the quality of echocompensation see, for example, “Acoustic Echo and Noise Control” by E.Hãnsler and G. Schmidt, Chapter 13, John Wiley & Sons, 2004). At step525, it is checked whether the provided steering direction and acorrespondingly adapted set of filter coefficients are already stored ina memory. If an adapted set of filter coefficients corresponding to theprovided steering direction is not yet stored in the memory, the set offilter coefficients and relative time delays are stored in the memory atstep 526. At step 527, the counter-parameter is increased by 1. Finally,at step 528, it is checked whether the counter-parameter equals orexceeds the number of microphones in the microphone array. If so, theinitializing phase is terminated at step 529 and sets of filtercoefficients can be provided, otherwise, the initializing phase returnsto stop 522.

FIG. 6 shows selected steps of a method for determining a set of filtercoefficients for an acoustic echo canceller. After initializing thebeamformer arrangement at step 630, it is checked whether the currentsteering direction is a new steering direction in step 631, i.e. whetherthe current steering direction deviates from a preset steeringdirection. In the first pass of the method after initializing thebeamformer arrangement, an arbitrary steering direction may be set,which is then a new steering direction. If during operation of thesystem the beamformer does not change to a different steering directionand hence, step 631 yields a negative answer, the beamforming and echocompensation may be performed with preset filter coefficients of thebeamformer and the acoustic echo canceller, respectively.

If the beamformer has changed to a new steering direction, it isdetermined at step 632 whether a counter-parameter, indicating apredetermined number of steering directions for which sets of filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo canceller are provided, exceeds orequals the number of microphones in the microphone array. If thecounter-parameter does not equal or exceed the number of microphones,the method returns to the initializing phase 633, for example to step523 of FIG. 5. If the counter-parameter equals or exceeds the number ofmicrophones, a relative time delay for each microphone signal isdetermined at step 634 corresponding to the current steering direction.At step 635, a system of equations based on the provided sets of filtercoefficients and predetermined time delays is set up. At step 636, thesystem of equations is solved. Determining a solution to the system ofequations may comprise inverting a matrix.

From the solutions of the system of equations, which correspond tomodified transfer functions, a set of filter coefficients for theacoustic echo canceller is determined and set at step 637.

After the current set of filter coefficients has been determined, thecurrent set of filter coefficients may be stored in the memory, therebyforming a preset or provided set of filter coefficients, in order toincrease the number of provided sets of filter coefficients.

The determined current set of filter coefficients may also replace aprovided set of filter coefficients if the quality of echo compensationusing the determined current set of filter coefficients exceeds thequality of echo compensation using a particular set of filtercoefficients within the provided sets of filter coefficientscorresponding to a particular predetermined steering direction.

The determined current set of filter coefficients may also replace theoldest provided set of filter coefficients. The oldest provided set offilter coefficients may be the provided set of filter coefficients forwhich a time stamp, indicating the time when the set of filtercoefficients has been determined, lies furthest in the past, inparticular compared to the times of all other provided sets of filtercoefficients.

In FIG. 7, selected steps of a replacement of a provided set of filtercoefficients are shown. Step 730 to 737 correspond to steps 630 to 637in FIG. 6. At step 738 of FIG. 7, it is determined whether the qualityof echo compensation using the determined current set of filtercoefficients exceeds the quality of echo compensation using any of theprovided sets of filter coefficients. A particular set of filtercoefficients within the provided sets of filter coefficients may besearched, wherein the quality of echo compensation using the determinedcurrent set of filter coefficients exceeds the quality of echocompensation using the particular set of filter coefficients and whereina set of steering directions comprising the current steering directionand all predetermined steering directions other than the predeterminedsteering direction corresponding to the particular set of filtercoefficients, contains a predetermined number of steering directionswhich is at least equal to the number of microphones in the microphonearray. If such a particular set of filter coefficients is found, theparticular set of filter coefficients may be replaced by the determinedcoefficients at step 739.

In particular, the quality of echo compensation using the particular setof coefficients may be worse than the quality of echo compensation usingany other provided set of filter coefficients and the respectivepredetermined steering direction and/or predetermined time delays.

In the following, an example for determining a set of filtercoefficients for an acoustic echo compensator, in particular of anacoustic echo canceller, in a beamformer arrangement is detailed,wherein the beamformer arrangement comprises a microphone arraycomprising two microphones.

In a memory or storage device, sets of filter coefficients for an echocanceller for a predetermined number of steering direction may be storedtogether with corresponding parameters for time delay compensation. Inthe case of two microphones in the microphone array, the predeterminednumber of steering directions has to be at least equal to 2. In thisexample, the set of parametersĤ₁(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n₀),φ₁,φ₂ andĤ₁(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n₁),{tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over (φ)}₂is provided and comprises two sets of filter coefficients, Ĥ₁(e^(jΩ)^(μ) ,n₀) and Ĥ₁(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n₁), respectively. Here Ĥ denotes theprovided set of filter coefficient, n₀ and n₁, denote the time for whichthe respective set of filter coefficients has been determined and φ₁,φ₂, {tilde over (φ)}₁ and {tilde over (φ)}₂ denote the relative timedelays of the microphone signals 1 and 2, respectively, corresponding totwo different predetermined steering directions, i.e.φ₁≠{tilde over (φ)}₁,φ₂≠{tilde over (φ)}₂.

As the number of predetermined steering directions equals the number ofmicrophones in the microphone array of this example, the initializingphase may be deemed to be finished.

The number of filter coefficients in a set of provided filtercoefficients for each steering direction of the predetermined number ofsteering directions, may depend on the desired filter order used, forexample, for an FIR filter.

In particular, the number of provided filter coefficients in a set ofprovided filter coefficients corresponding to a given steering directionmay equal the desired filter order used or the number of filtercoefficients that should be determined for the current set of filtercoefficients. In other words, the number of provided filter coefficientsper steering direction may be equal to or larger than 1.

When, for example, due to the movement of a speaker, the beamformerchanges from a preset steering direction to a current steeringdirection, current time delays θ₁ and θ₂ may be determined for therespective microphone signals corresponding to the current steeringdirection. The optimal filter coefficients for the acoustic echocanceller may be written asĤ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,θ₁,θ₂)=e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(θ) ¹ F _(1,i)(e ^(jΩ)^(μ) )+e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(θ) ² F _(2,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ).

If the optimal filter coefficients could be determined based on theprovided sets of filter coefficients and the predetermined time delays,an impaired signal quality for a certain could be avoided. Hence, itwill be desirable to find the optimal filter coefficients as a functionof known quantities, in particular of the provided sets of filtercoefficients, i.e.Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,θ₁,θ₂)=ƒ(Ĥ _(i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n ₀),Ĥ _(i)(e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,n ₁),φ₁,φ₂,{tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over (φ)}₂,θ₁,θ₂).

For this purpose, based on the above-described equation for Ĥ_(i,opt),equations for the optimal filter coefficients for the predeterminedsteering directions, corresponding to the predetermined time delays ofthe microphone signals, i.e. (φ₁, φ₂) and ({tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over(φ)}₂), may be formed. These equations may read:Ĥ _(,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,φ₁,φ₂)=e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ¹ F _(1,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ))+e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ¹ F _(2,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ), andĤ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,{tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over (φ)}₂)=e ^(jΩ)^(μ) ^({tilde over (φ)}) ¹ F _(1,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) )+e ^(jΩ) ^(μ)^({tilde over (φ)}) ¹ F _(2,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ).

This system of equations may be solved. In this case, weighteddifferences may be calculated as follows:e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^({tilde over (φ)}) ¹ Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,φ₁,φ₂)−e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ¹ Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) {tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over(φ)}₂)=F _(2,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) )[e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^((φ) ² ^(+{tilde over (φ)})¹ ⁾ −e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(({tilde over (φ)}) ² ^(+φ) ¹ ⁾],e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^({tilde over (φ)}) ² Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ,φ₁,φ₂)−e^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(φ) ² Ĥ _(i,opt)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) {tilde over (φ)}₁,{tilde over(φ)}₂)=F _(1,i)(e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) )[e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^((φ) ¹ ^(+{tilde over (φ)})² ⁾ −e ^(jΩ) ^(μ) ^(({tilde over (φ)}) ¹ ^(+φ) ² ⁾]and solved for the modified transfer functions, F_(1,i) and F_(2,i),respectively, to obtain:

F 1 , i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ) = ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 2 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , φ 1 , φ2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 2 ⁢ H ^ l , opt ⁡ ( ⅇ jΩ , φ ~ 1 , φ ~ 2 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 1 +φ ~ 2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 1 + φ 2 ) , and F 2 , i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ) = ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢φ ~ 1 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ jΩ μ , φ 1 , φ 2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 1 ⁢ H ^ l , opt ( ⅇjΩ μ , φ ~ 1 , φ ~ 2 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 2 + φ ~ 1 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 2 + φ 1 ).

In this way, the optimal impulse responses or optimal transfer functionsof the loudspeaker-room-microphone-beamformer system may be estimated bythe corresponding optimal filter coefficients for the acoustic echocanceller, which may be determined as follows:

H ^ l , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , ϑ 1 , ϑ 2 ) = f ⁡ ( H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 0 ) ,H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 1 ) , φ 1 , φ ~ 1 , φ 2 , φ ~ 2 , ϑ 1 , ϑ 2 ) = ⅇjΩ μ ⁢ ϑ 1 ⁢ ⅇ jΩ ⁢ φ ~ 2 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , φ 1 , φ 2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢φ 2 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , φ ~ 1 , φ ~ 2 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 1 + φ ~ 2 ) -ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 1 + φ 2 ) + ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ ϑ 2 ⁢ ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 1 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢⁢Ω μ , φ 1 , φ 2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 1 ⁢ H ^ i , opt ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , φ ~ 1 , φ ~2 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 2 + φ ~ 1 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 2 + φ 1 ) .

Using the provided sets of filter coefficients as estimate for theoptimal sets of filter coefficients corresponding to the predeterminedtime delays, this yields following estimate for the initialization ofthe filter coefficients of the acoustic echo canceller at time n₂, whichmay correspond to the time when the beamformer changes to the currentsteering direction:

H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 2 ) = ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ ϑ 1 ⁢ ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 2 ⁢ H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ωμ , n 0 ) - ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ ⁢ φ 2 ⁢ H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 1 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 1 + φ~ 2 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 1 + φ 2 ) + ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ ϑ 2 ⁢ ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 1 ⁢ H ^ i ( ⅇj ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 0 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 1 ⁢ H ^ i ( ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ Ω μ , n 1 ) ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ 2 +φ ~ 1 ) - ⅇ jΩ μ ⁡ ( φ ~ 2 + φ 1 ) .

By using this calculated set of filter coefficients after the beamformerchanges to the current steering direction, a residual echo in thebeamformed signal may be reduced or completely cancelled, without theneed of a complete re-adaptation of the acoustic echo canceller.

The generalization of this example to M microphones is straightforward.A filter coefficients vector, Ĥ(i), of the acoustic echo canceller maybe defined, wherein each element of Ĥ(i) corresponds to a filtercoefficient of the same arbitrary filter order, i, but corresponding todifferent predetermined steering directions. The above-described systemof equations may then be written, for example, as matrix multiplicationbetween a matrix, A, comprising coefficients which comprise time delayfunctions, and a transfer vector, f, of modified transfer functions,i.e.{circumflex over (H)}(i)=Af.

Each element of the transfer vector corresponds to a modified transferfunction for a different microphone signal, but for the same arbitraryfilter order, i, i.e. F_(k,i). To find the modified transfer functions,the matrix A has to be inverted, i.e.f=A ⁻¹ Ĥ(i).

These steps may be performed for each desired filter order, i.

In the previously discussed example, the number of microphones in themicrophone array was equal to 2, i.e. M=2. In this case, the filtercoefficients vector, the transfer vector and the matrix A read:

${{\hat{H}(i)} = \begin{pmatrix}{{\hat{H}}_{i}\left( {{\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}},\varphi_{1},\varphi_{2}} \right)} \\{{\hat{H}}_{i}\left( {{\mathbb{e}}^{j\;\Omega_{\mu}},{\overset{\sim}{\varphi}}_{1},{\overset{\sim}{\varphi}}_{2}} \right)}\end{pmatrix}},\mspace{20mu}{f = \begin{pmatrix}F_{1,i} \\F_{2,i}\end{pmatrix}},{and}$ ⁢ A = ( ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 1 ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ 2 ⅇ jΩ μ ⁢ φ ~ 1 ⅇ jΩμ ⁢ φ ~ 2 ) . ⁢

Inverting matrix A may be performed analytically or numerically. Knowingthe transfer vector of modified transfer functions, a set of filtercoefficients for the acoustic echo canceller may be calculatedanalogously as described in the above-mentioned examples.

If the predetermined number of steering directions equals the number ofmicrophones in the microphone array, and a current or arbitrary steeringdirection is set or provided, the current set of filter coefficients forthe acoustic echo canceller may be determined as described above. Aftera short period of time it may be checked whether the quality of echocompensation exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this case, thedetermined current set of filter coefficients, the current steeringdirection and/or the current relative time delays corresponding to thecurrent steering direction may be stored in a memory together with theprovided sets of filter coefficients and predetermined time delays. Theset of current steering direction, in particular, current time delays,and current set of filter coefficients may replace a provided set offilter coefficients and the corresponding predetermined steeringdirection. It may, for instance, replace the oldest or worst providedset of filter coefficients. In the latter case, an additional parametermay be stored together with each provided set of filter coefficients,which describes the quality of echo compensation at or for the time whenthe provided set of filter coefficients was determined.

The current steering direction and the determined current set of filtercoefficients may also be stored additionally to the provided set offilter coefficients to increase the number of equations in the systemsof equations as described above.

A second beamformer and a second acoustic echo canceller may be used toupdate the oldest provided set of filter coefficients for the acousticecho canceller. For this purpose, the time delay parameters of thesecond beamformer may be set to be the predetermined relative timedelays corresponding to the oldest provided set of filter coefficientsand the second acoustic echo canceller may be used to adapt for thatpredetermined steering direction. If the quality of echo compensationexceeds a predetermined threshold, the so-determined set of filtercoefficients may be used to replace the oldest provided set of filtercoefficients.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to bemerely exemplary; numerous variations and modifications will be apparentto those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications areintended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined inany appended claims.

Although the previously discussed embodiments of the present inventionhave been described separately, it is to be understood that some or allof the above described features can also be combined in different ways.The discussed embodiments are not intended as limitations but serve asexamples illustrating features and advantages of the invention. Theembodiments of the invention described above are intended to be merelyexemplary; numerous variations and modifications will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications areintended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined inany appended claims.

It should be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that theforegoing methodology may be performed in a signal processing system(e.g. speech processing) and that the speech processing system mayinclude one or more processors for processing computer coderepresentative of the foregoing described methodology. The computer codemay be embodied on a tangible computer readable storage medium i.e. acomputer program product.

The present invention may be embodied in many different forms,including, but in no way limited to, computer program logic for use witha processor (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signalprocessor, or general purpose computer), programmable logic for use witha programmable logic device (e.g., a Field Programmable Gate Array(FPGA) or other PLD), discrete components, integrated circuitry (e.g.,an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)), or any other meansincluding any combination thereof. In an embodiment of the presentinvention, predominantly all of the reordering logic may be implementedas a set of computer program instructions that is converted into acomputer executable form, stored as such in a computer readable medium,and executed by a microprocessor within the array under the control ofan operating system.

Computer program logic implementing all or part of the functionalitypreviously described herein may be embodied in various forms, including,but in no way limited to, a source code form, a computer executableform, and various intermediate forms (e.g., forms generated by anassembler, compiler, networker, or locator.) Source code may include aseries of computer program instructions implemented in any of variousprogramming languages (e.g., an object code, an assembly language, or ahigh-level language such as Fortran, C, C++, JAVA, or HTML) for use withvarious operating systems or operating environments. The source code maydefine and use various data structures and communication messages. Thesource code may be in a computer executable form (e.g., via aninterpreter), or the source code may be converted (e.g., via atranslator, assembler, or compiler) into a computer executable form.

The computer program may be fixed in any form (e.g., source code form,computer executable form, or an intermediate form) either permanently ortransitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductormemory device (e.g., a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-ProgrammableRAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), anoptical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM), a PC card (e.g., PCMCIA card),or other memory device. The computer program may be fixed in any form ina signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of variouscommunication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analogtechnologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wirelesstechnologies, networking technologies, and internetworking technologies.The computer program may be distributed in any form as a removablestorage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation(e.g., shrink wrapped software or a magnetic tape), preloaded with acomputer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed froma server or electronic bulletin board over the communication system(e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web.)

Hardware logic (including programmable logic for use with a programmablelogic device) implementing all or part of the functionality previouslydescribed herein may be designed using traditional manual methods, ormay be designed, captured, simulated, or documented electronically usingvarious tools, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), a hardwaredescription language (e.g., VHDL or AHDL), or a PLD programming language(e.g., PALASM, ABEL, or CUPL.).

What is claimed:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving microphone signalsfrom a plurality of microphones; beamforming of the microphone signalswith a beamformer to provide a beamformed signal for a first steeringdirection; performing echo compensation for the beamformed signal withan echo canceller adapted to the first steering direction using filtercoefficients that are stored for a set of steering directions includingthe first steering direction; receiving an indication of a change to acurrent steering direction, wherein filter coefficients for the currentsteering direction are not stored; and calculating a set of filtercoefficients as an estimate for the current steering directioncorresponding to a time at which the beamformer changes to the currentsteering direction from microphone time delays for the current steeringdirection, at least one of the stored sets of filter coefficients, andpredetermined microphone time delays associated with the at least one ofthe stored sets of filter coefficients for enabling echo cancellation atthe current steering direction without a complete adaptation of the echocanceller.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the beamformergenerates the microphone time delays for the current steering direction.3. The method according to claim 1, further including detecting a soundsource corresponding to the current steering direction.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein a number of the stored sets ofcoefficients corresponds to a number of microphones.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, further including determining whether a quality ofecho compensation of the echo canceller exceeds a predeterminedthreshold.
 6. The method according to claim 1, further includingreplacing one of the stored sets of filter coefficients.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 1, further including using a further beamformer and afurther echo canceller to update the stored sets of filter coefficients.8. The method according to claim 1, further including determiningloudspeaker-room-microphone system characteristics.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 1, further including determining the stored sets offilter coefficients during initialization for a given number of steeringdirections.
 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein theinitializing comprises: for each filter coefficient of the given set offilter coefficients, computing a sum, wherein summands of the sumcomprise a modified transfer function corresponding to a combination of(a) filter coefficients of the beamformer and (b) transfer functions ofthe loudspeaker-room-microphone system.
 11. The method according toclaim 10, wherein determining the sum comprises determining the modifiedtransfer function based on the stored sets of filter coefficients,wherein determining the modified transfer functions is further based onpredetermined time delays corresponding to predetermined steeringdirections of predetermined number of steering directions.
 12. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein the modified transfer functionsare independent of the current steering direction.
 13. An article,comprising: a non-transitory storage medium having stored instructionsthat enable a machine to: receive microphone signals from a plurality ofmicrophones; beamform the microphone signals with a beamformer toprovide a beamformed signal for a first steering direction; perform echocompensation for the beamformed signal with an echo canceller adapted tothe first steering direction using filter coefficients that are storedfor a set of steering directions including the first steering direction;receive an indication of a change to a current steering direction,wherein filter coefficients for the current steering direction are notstored; and calculate a set of filter coefficients as an estimate forthe current steering direction corresponding to a time at which the beamformer changes to the current steering direction from microphone timedelays for the current steering direction, at least one of the storedsets of filter coefficients, and predetermined microphone time delaysassociated with the at least one of the stored sets of filtercoefficients for enabling echo cancellation at the current steeringdirection without a complete adaptation of the echo canceller.
 14. Thearticle according to claim 13, wherein the beamformer generates themicrophone time delays for the current steering direction.
 15. Thearticle according to claim 13, further including instructions to detecta sound source corresponding to the current steering direction.
 16. Thearticle according to claim 13, further including instructions to usr afurther beamformer and a further echo canceller to update the storedsets of filter coefficients.
 17. The article according to claim 13,further including instructions to determine the stored sets of filtercoefficients during initialization for a given number of steeringdirections.
 18. The article according to claim 17, wherein theinitialization comprises: for each filter coefficient of the given setof filter coefficients, computing a sum, wherein summands of the sumcomprise a modified transfer function corresponding to a combination of(a) filter coefficients of the beamformer and (b) transfer functions ofthe loudspeaker-room-microphone system.
 19. The article according toclaim 18, wherein determining the sum comprises determining the modifiedtransfer function based on the stored sets of filter coefficients,wherein determining the modified transfer functions is further based onpredetermined time delays corresponding to predetermined steeringdirections of predetermined number of steering directions.
 20. A system,comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, theprocessor and the memory configured to: receive microphone signals froma plurality of microphones; beamform the microphone signals with abeamformer to provide a beamformed signal for a first steeringdirection; perform echo compensation for the beamformed signal with anecho canceller adapted to the first steering direction using filtercoefficients that are stored for a set of steering directions includingthe first steering direction; receive an indication of a change to acurrent steering direction, wherein filter coefficients for the currentsteering direction are not stored; and calculate a set of filtercoefficients as an estimate for the current steering directioncorresponding to a time at which the beamformer changes to the currentsteering direction from microphone time delays for the current steeringdirection, at least one of the stored sets of filter coefficients, andpredetermined microphone time delays associated with the at least one ofthe stored sets of filter coefficients for enabling echo cancellation atthe current steering direction without a complete adaptation of the echocanceller.